Ema

sheilavw

The school is the administrator. My daughter got EMA for the 2 years she was doing A levels. We qualified for the £10. We had to complete all the forms and send off both our p60s. Also any pension you pay comes off. EG if you earn 32k but pay 2K seperately to a pension company you would still qualify ( I may not be making myself clear here, I dont mean a pension paid through employer but one you pay seperately). Then the school does the administration each week, like a register, so if you had the week off I dont think you get the money, also school holidays you dont. I mentioned the pension because my Husband pays direct debit into a pension nothing to do with his employer and you can write on the form the gross amount you pay per year. (you should get a statement) I have mentioned this because someone I used to work with thought they were over, but were okay with this taken into account.

Karfypie

mitchaa wrote: »

Self respect though, your kids see a benefit structure within your family, there's a good chance they'll grow up and do the same thing. If parents are working and bringing in income rather than sponging from the state, its highly likely they will follow path and do the same.

You may not be better off than a sponging family, but at least you can hold your head up high

I found this to be quite an offensive comment. Just because people may be living off of benefits doesn't mean they have no self respect. I understand that some people are playing the benefit system and it is fraudulent but you seem to be generalizing that all people in receipt of benefits are 'sponging from the state' which gives a really derogatory view of someone.

It seems like there is a general lack of empathy on this thread... bit of an inability to try and think of being in someone else's shoes. I guess its the same old grass is greener on the other side thing. Just because its difficult on a certain income doesn't mean it isn't difficult on another but people could be used to a different lifestyle a bigger house so a bigger mortgage.

But generally if you are trying to purely live off of benefits it is very difficult even if you are getting all the benefit you can there is so still not much to spare at all. There are some people who can't work because of health reasons, don't look down your nose at those people. Sometimes you get ill and can't work and so if you think that only people with no self respect live off of benefits you'd find it hard if that became your situation. Hopefully it won't but it can happen.

space_rider

Karfypie, you`re right about that. My last child was born with a congenital illness and I was unable to go back to work after maternity so I claimed income support. I have 2 children who have all worked to support themselves either via paper round or a job washing pots etc. My 16 year old can now get a job now that she has her NI number. They saw me "sponge" for 2 years but they have also seen me go back to work even though we were better financially by me not being at work. No one knows when they will be unfortunate enough to have to claim benefits.

Karfypie

space_rider wrote: »

They saw me "sponge" for 2 years but they have also seen me go back to work even though we were better financially by me not being at work. No one knows when they will be unfortunate enough to have to claim benefits.

I don't think you were 'sponging', I don't think of people on benefits as sponging I guess your just using that to illustrate the point. Thanks for saying that, it is so true. We never know whats going to happen and maybe we need to have a bit more humility and not look down on people in receipt of benefits. The vast majority of people are entitled to them and need them to live off. I mean when you think about it you'd feel a lot more self satisfied and feel fulfilled if you were able to have a job. I don't personally think that people really want to be on benefits but you go down that cycle or people are ill or disabled or you are raising a child. But I don't really like that attitude that somehow it makes some people 'better' by not being on benefits, because it doesn't mean anything. Judging someone like that doesn't show you in a good light.

paisley_lass

i think at the end of the day OP can sleep soundly at night knowing they are doing the right thing ....but if that annoyed about friends getting something they are not they should report them for fraud.

karen_newcastle

Well it's confirmed one thing, if the school is doing the adminstration it must be very easy to get EMA when not entitled! How on earth can the school find time to confirm what's on the form and/or do further checks? This is how people I know have only declared one income.......:(

Karfiepie and Space rider - I think the tern 'sponging' was about people who just refuse to work and live off benefits. I don't think this was aimed at people who legitimately need them.

Oldernotwiser

karen_newcastle wrote: »

Well it's confirmed one thing, if the school is doing the adminstration it must be very easy to get EMA when not entitled! How on earth can the school find time to confirm what's on the form and/or do further checks? This is how people I know have only declared one income.......:(

Karfiepie and Space rider - I think the tern 'sponging' was about people who just refuse to work and live off benefits. I don't think this was aimed at people who legitimately need them.

Most schools and colleges took on additional staff when the EMA was introduced because of the extra amount of work involved. I would have also have thought that many schools would know a great deal about the pupils' backgrounds, although there must be a few cheats that slip through the net.

karen_newcastle

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Most schools and colleges took on additional staff when the EMA was introduced because of the extra amount of work involved. I would have also have thought that many schools would know a great deal about the pupils' backgrounds, although there must be a few cheats that slip through the net.

How would the school know a great deal about the pupils backgrounds? All I've provided them with are my contact details in case of emergencies. They see me twice a year at parents evenings and that's it.....the school has no idea if I am a single parent or what job I do etc.

My question here is if someone completes the form as a single person but they have a partner how would the school know?

Don't get me wrong I an NOT planning on doing this I just think the system is very much open to abuse.

autismmum

my dd, is home educated, she is allowed to go to college at 15 as she is ahead of other kids her age, she will recieve the full 30.00 a week on a 12 hour a week course on the monday after she is 16, also on that date she will recieve 50.00 a week from the benifits agency as she is a young carer and will be eligable for her own funds, i cant believe this is true, have checked with ema and ben agency and yes she will get 80.00 a week in total plus we get wftc for her whilst at college, this seems to good to be true, is it????

sheilavw

The school only does the admin, ie tells the ema whether to pay for that week or not. When we filled in our forms they go to the EMA dept with your P60s. I understand from posts that people are putting only one income down but when I filled in for my daughter 4 years ago it does say that giving false information can lead to you being prosecuted. Also they can ask for more information , like my Husband had a private pension with Phoenix (then Brittanic) and you had to put down the gross yearly payments and it said then they are entitled to see your yearly statement if asked for. Like I said we got the £10, but it was the bonuses that benefitted her the most. She also had a part time job waitressing